Mad World
by Krumari
Summary: All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces. Naraku is dead. Kikyo is dead. Inuyasha has left me. What is there left for me here?  * .:Warning - Contains Spoilers:.*
1. Familiar Places, Worn Out Faces

**Author's Note: This story contains spoilers from the Final Act. If you have not seen the conclusion to InuYasha, I highly recommend that you return to this story only after you have.**

**Chapter One: Familiar Faces, Worn Out Places**

* * *

White steam rose up in tendrils from the mirror surface of the hot spring, disappearing into the night sky. Kagome sighed heavily as she sank further down into the sweltering waters, unable to quite reach bliss as she usually did when in such a relaxed state. She didn't understand. She just simply could not wrap her head around it. Now that all of her worst problems were solved, her most horrible adversaries overcome, why could she not relax?

The battle with Naraku was over. Through a string of complicated events, Lord Sesshomaru had regained his left arm and a new sword, Bakusaiga. Inuyasha had gained a new technique for his Tetsusaiga, the Meido Zangetsuha. Kagome smiled softly at the memory of the two brothers, finally working together to bring down the greatest evil that the world had seen in a very, very long time. Through their combined efforts, the great spider had fallen to the ground, nearly decimating Edo. Kagome had purified the beast, piercing the Jewel and sending Naraku to his demise.

The final wish upon the Jewel Kagome had also made, a selfless wish; "_Shikon no Tama, I wish for you to disappear. Forever._" And the Shikon no Tama was no more.

So simple a wish! So why had everything suddenly gotten so much more complicated? Life should have returned to normal. Shouldn't it?

Kagome knew the answer. The Bone Eater's Well had been sealed off forever, leaving her in the Feudal Era. As it turns out, Kagome thought with a mental laugh, that she _did_ belong here after all. Otherwise, she would have been returned to her own time to live out her life, go to college, the way that life should be. And for a while, she had. She had returned to the other side for three years. She had finished high school. Until her desire to return was so great, on the day of her graduation, she revisited the well. It had granted her wish. She had been returned to Edo, five hundred years in the past. Inuyasha had been there to greet her when she emerged, and he had been so happy to see her… at first.

But _why _did she belong here? Now that the Shikon Jewel had been purified, Naraku had been slain, what was there for her here? Suddenly, Kagome was reminded of why she couldn't relax. _Kikyo._

Yes, Kikyo. Oh how ironic it was, that now that the priestess had passed on, that she and Inuyasha still could not be together. The half demon was so torn, so inconsolable over the death of his lost love, that he had left Kagome and the rest of his friends to live the life of a loner. Kagome hadn't seen Inuyasha in almost two weeks.

Chocolate eyes clenched hard, but it was futile; warm tears still trickled down either cheek, disappearing into the hot spring. What had she become? Over the past two weeks, she too, had become a recluse. She almost never spoke anymore, every smile was forced. What was she to do? She no longer had a purpose. And she no longer held a spot in the hanyou's heart. She had become a broken shell of a woman, just like the undead priestess Kikyo had once been…

Kagome sunk down into the hot spring, submerging herself in the crystal clear, hot waters. Here, beneath the surface of the water, there was no light, no sound, and no smell. No sensation other than warmth. Was this what it was like to be dead? She supposed, after all the pain, torment, disappointment in her life, this was exactly what she needed…

After what seemed like an eternity of submersion, Kagome's lungs began to ache. She sprang to the surface, eagerly gulping air, before sighing as she looked down at her slender hands. Her fingertips were just beginning to prune. Her time in the spring was done. She waded to the wall of the hot spring in which she had placed her kimono, the traditional garbs of a priestess; a white haori and red belled pants. She had discarded her school uniform in favor of this new attire, reasoning that now that she was going to live in this time, she may as well fall into step with tradition.

Stepping out of the water, Kagome shivered as the night breathed cool air over her damp skin. Hurriedly, she pulled on her kimono, ran her fingers through her wet hair, and began to rub her hands together to warm them. _I've got to get back to the village, _she thought. _Even though Naraku is dead, I still don't like being out here alone for too long…_

At that precise moment, somewhere in the shadowed forest behind her, a twig snapped. Her blood ran cold in her veins and her limbs locked up. She was frozen. Her breath came in short, shallow pants as she slowly forced herself to turn to face whatever was coming. Now, she could sense a demon's aura. S_tupid, stupid, stupid! _She cried to herself. _You're so stupid to come out here unarmed!_

The demon in the shadows laughed, a deep, monstrous laugh that sent wild shivers down Kagome's spine. She took a step back, putting as much distance between her and the demon as her body would allow.

"It has been quite some time since a human so willingly wandered into my midst!" Kagome whimpered at the large, glowing red eyes that were approaching at a menacingly slow pace. "You even tenderized yourself for me, steaming in the hot spring!"

Now the demon was in full view. It was a hideous ogre, with scaly green skin, a flat face and very, very large teeth. Those red eyes bore into Kagome's. The beast stepped closer, his steps lumbering, shaking the ground at her feet. Kagome braced herself. She had to defend herself, or else she was going to be this demon's dinner. She couldn't let that happen; if she was going down, it wouldn't be at the hands of this monstrosity. With surprising speed for its massive size, the ogre swiped a huge clawed hand at the priestess, colliding with her petite form like a wrecking ball.

Before Kagome could process what was happening, she was suddenly airborne, her body wracked with pain from the blow, and again as she was hurdled into a large oak tree. Her bruised body slumped down the ground at the trees' twisted roots, a sob wrenching from her mouth. The demon cackled hysterically as it swiftly approached the human woman, his jowls dripping in anticipation.

"No," Kagome whimpered. "No, no, no. This can't be…" The demon was closing in. she had to do something.

It took tremendous effort to raise herself up on one elbow. With defiant, shining brown eyes, she glared scornfully at her attacker, and outstretched her hand to meet the demon head-on. A bright pink light burst from her palm, a cool, electric, pulsating energy that purified the demon on contact. It screeched to a halt, bellowing, screaming, as its body disintegrated into ash. The backlash from Kagome's own power had her body airborne once more as it slammed into her. Raw, searing pain had her vision darkening at the edges as she sailed over the treetops.

Kagome's poor, battered, broken body collided into a solid form in the sky, knocking the last of her breath out of her lungs. Her head swam dizzily and her vision blackened. Demonic aura swirled around her form, burning her, setting her nerves aflame, as two strong arms folded around her. She began to fade into unconsciousness, sweet blackness and anesthesia. _This is it…_

* * *

Light filtered down through the forest canopy, turning the black inside her eyelids red. Kagome groaned as a fresh wave of pain overtook her, seeping into her bones. What happened? Finally her eyes slid open to find that she was lying on the ground, staring up at the boughs of the merrily swaying trees. How did she end up here? Last night, she had been…

_Last night! _

Flashbacks and terrifying images flooded Kagome's brain, and she convulsed from the weight of this new knowledge. She gasped aloud and flung herself upright, only to cry out in agony as a ripping sensation coursed over her abdomen. Wrapping her arms around her torso as if she had to hold herself together, she doubled over in a groan. Taking deep, calming breaths, she slowly righted herself and took in her surroundings.

She was somewhere deep in the forest, sitting upon a remarkably comfortable blanket. The one that had been covering her was in a bundle at her knees. Kagome turned to look at whatever her head had been resting on, knitting her brows. This looked familiar. She reached a timid hand out to run her slender fingers through the white, furry pelt, nearly sighing at its softness. As she stroked her makeshift pillow, she swallowed roughly. Her throat was dry and gritty, as though she had swallowed dirt. She eyed a small bamboo bottle lying next to the blanket on the spongy forest grass, and swiftly reached for it, threw her head back and drained it. The water splashed uncomfortably against the bottom of her empty stomach, but cleansed her mouth and throat of gritty, sandy dirt. In her haste, droplets trickled down her chin and ran down her neck.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome winced at the throb that the movement provoked, and looked down to examine herself, when the breath caught in her throat. _What on Earth… _She was shirtless! Panic bubbled up in her chest as she patted herself down, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the bandages that encircled her torso from her waist to her collarbones. Whoever had saved her had undressed her completely, removing her haori and her modern undergarments; she had refused to give up her bra and panties, arguing that this traditional clothing allowed too much room for uncomfortable bouncing. A bright spot of blood on her ribcage was seeping through the pristine white bandages, doubling Kagome's terror. Now, upon closer inspection, she could see how her arms were horribly bruised black and blue, and her legs and back ached in the worst of ways. Kagome knew there would be bruises there as well.

Stumbling to her feet, Kagome tried to fight back the hysteria that was beginning to prompt her stomach to quench, swallowing against the retches that threatened to rob her of the water she had just downed. _Calm down, Kagome, _she prompted herself. _Someone obviously saved me. If they went through all the trouble of saving me, they wouldn't kill me, right?_

She could sense something. A person? It was very faint, but there nonetheless. They were close. Could this be her rescuer? Bracing herself, Kagome walked, rather unsteadily, towards the presence, determined to find them.

The closer she got, the stronger the feeling, and Kagome knew that this was no ordinary person. Staggering through the underbrush, Kagome came to a small stream. Her mahogany eyes scanned the area, and when her eyes trained on the only entity here, the breath flew out of her lungs and her knees buckled. A thin film of perspiration coated her palms. Her head swam with the preposterousness of what her eyes were telling her. This was impossible!

"Sesshomaru," she breathed, as the demon lord turned to bare down on her with steely amber eyes. "It was you? You saved me?" she whispered, unable to gain her breath.

"Hn."

* * *

She was dead. _I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I admit it, I'm dead, _Kagome repeated over and over again, but as she awoke once more on the silky blanket beneath her, her head resting upon the heavenly softness of a white pelt, she knew that that notion was horribly false. _That's why this pelt was so familiar, _she mused. _Because I have seen it so many times before. It belongs to Sesshomaru._

Heaving a heavy sigh, Kagome slowly sat upright, pushing herself up with her hands. Idly, she noted that her bandages were once again fresh. She knew she had to face this problem, this horrible nightmare that never seemed to be ending. It wasn't going away, so there was no point in running from it. _Time to put on your big girl underwear, _she thought to herself sarcastically as she met the cold yellow eyes of demon Lord Sesshomaru. He sat regally at the base of the tree opposite to her, one knee outstretched, the other pulled to his chest with his crossed arms draped over his knee casually. His head was tilted down slightly, and his eyes smoldered at her from beneath heavy, thick black lashes. His gorgeous mane of thick silver locks tumbled over his shoulders and pooled on the ground at his sides, shimmering in the mid-afternoon sun.

Wait, _gorgeous? _As Kagome silently studied the demon, this was only one of the words that were running rampant in her mind. Yes, gorgeous. But, since when was Sesshomaru so… _pretty? _Clearing her throat timidly, Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come. She closed her lips quickly, racking her brain for something, anything to say.

Sesshomaru watched in strong stillness as the woman opened and closed her mouth several times, resembling a fish that had been jerked from the water, trying to compose herself. He was no fool; this was a great deal to take in, even for himself. Yes, he had saved the young priestess that had for years traveled with his hated half brother, after she had suffered an honestly terrifying attack from an ogre. The slashes on her rib cage had drained her of quite a bit of her human blood, and she was fading fast when she was thrown into the night sky. Sesshomaru, who had been traveling westward to retire to his Western premises, had spotted the airborne woman. Recognizing her instantly, he had leapt up and caught her, half-dead and vanishing quickly.

He did not quite understand why he felt the need to save her. But, alas, he had, bandaging her wounds and laying her on the forest floor. No demon dared to approach them in the night, not with him around, even with the sweet aroma of her blood hanging like a thick curtain of temptation in the air. Sesshomaru had to admit to himself, that though the woman was human, her scent had a strange, pure allurement to it, with underlying of tones of citrus and jasmine. Pleasant. Nearly scowling as that though entered his mind, Sesshomaru snorted inaudibly at himself. _Ridiculous._

Finally, the woman spoke, her soft voice only slightly shaky. Impressive, for someone as afraid as she was at that moment. Her fear added a spice to her scent that invoked an odd sensation in Sesshomaru's gut.

"I-I want to thank you, Sesshomaru, for helping me." She began, gulping slightly as she paused before continuing. "You saved me. I could have, and probably was, dying. I don't mean to take away from the… unexpected chivalry of your actions, but I have to ask, why?" by the time she had finished, her voice no longer quavered, replaced by a tone of determination that Sesshomaru had always furtively found admirable in the human woman.

A single, sculpted dark brow rose for an instant as Sesshomaru contemplated his reply. Instead, he would give her a question of his own, one that had been nagging at the back of his conscience for weeks. "Tell me, priestess, where is Inuyasha? His absence has not gone unnoticed by this Sesshomaru."

Ah, that struck a nerve. Kagome visibly shrunk away from the name of the hanyou, resembling a wilting flower. "In-Inuyasha," she whispered. Even Sesshomaru had to listen carefully. "I don't know. I haven't seen him in weeks."

"So, Inuyasha is on the run." Kagome shivered as the smallest of smiles crept onto Sesshomaru's statuesque face. "As is anticipated. Still, this Sesshomaru cannot but wonder, why he has left his greatest possession vulnerable and unprotected."

He was not surprised by the abrupt flare in her aura, nor by how she flashed those large, defiant brown eyes, or the glare she fixed him with.

"_Possession_?" the girl spat, her tone hard. "I'll have you know that I am no object, and I certainly do not _belong _to anyone, least of all Inuyasha!" Kagome nearly gasped aloud as the words sprang from her own lips. Was this how she felt? It was true, that through most of the duration of her companionship with Inuyasha, she had felt like nothing more than a tool, a Jewel shard detector and collector.

Sesshomaru's glare didn't faze Kagome as it would have five minutes ago. Instead, she glared right back. They locked eyes for what felt like an eternity before finally, Kagome turned her head away. Sesshomaru smirked in satisfaction as the young woman backed down, her face a pretty shade of dark pink. She was clearly agitated. No matter.

With fluid grace Sesshomaru rose to his feet, strode over to the priestess, and in a very uncharacteristic gesture, held out his hand to Kagome. With a small surprised gasp, Kagome stared at his large, clawed white hand, before placing her much smaller hand in his. The skin of that hand was slightly calloused and emanated strength, enhanced with an odd underlying softness and warmth. He pulled her gently to her feet with what seemed to be no effort at all, before scooping up his pelt and throwing it casually over his shoulder.

Before he was able to retrieve the rest of the items that were obviously his, he was stunned to find that Kagome lowered herself to her knees, folding the blankets and gathering up the bamboo container. His brows knitted as he watched her work, her dainty hands working the fabric quickly. This woman was indeed intriguing. Moments ago she had been defiant and hard-eyed, but now, here she was, gathering his things in submissive silence.

After she had finished, Kagome rose to her feet and turned to look at the demon lord, clutching the blankets to her wrapped bosom. Now, she was in a predicament. She knew that Sesshomaru was ready to depart, to God knows where and for how long. Yet, here she was, wrapped up in bandages that he obviously provided. She was, Kagome grudgingly admitted, indebted to him for saving her life. After all, was she really so eager to return to Edo? There was nothing for her there but a life of constant reminders of what almost was, what could have been… besides, in her current position, she wouldn't last half an hour in these demon infested woods, bruised and battered as she was. Kagome chewed on her lower lips absentmindedly as she contemplated her situation.

Sesshomaru's eyes were drawn inexplicably to the woman's plump, pale pink lower lip that she was worrying with pretty, square, white teeth like a bee worries a flower. When she spoke, he was taken aback by her request, settling his eyes on hers once more, but he hid it well. After all, could he have expected anything else?

"I know you are probably a very busy man, Sesshomaru, and I don't want to be a burden, but…" she sighed exasperatedly and went on with it. "But the situation I'm in isn't a very good one. You've seen the shape I'm in. I'm in no way able to defend myself right now, with my injuries, and no demon is stupid enough to come near you. I'm not exactly eager to return to the village, either. So, if you don't mind, I would like to…"

"Accompany this Sesshomaru?" he finished, quirking a brow.

Kagome was struck suddenly at the realization of how handsome this man in front of her really was. _And he had seen her half naked._ The realization had blood flaring bright pink in her cheeks as she averted her gaze. "Yes. Just until I am healed and able to defend myself."

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment, studying this human priestess that now, for unknown reasons, refused to look at him. With a grunt, "I care not." He then turned on his heels and headed along his way silently, without so much as a glance back.

Hurriedly, Kagome jogged to catch up with the demon lord, biting her lower lip fervently. What on Earth had she just gotten herself into?

* * *

**Author's Note: So there you have it; chapter one of my new story, Mad World. Pretty please leave me a review so that I know to keep updating. Otherwise it'll just sit here :/ I don't have a bunch of extra time on my hands to be fooling with a story that no one is reading, what with a full time job _and_ being a full time student. Pretty please let me know what you think, I'll really apreciate it :) Until next chapter! BuhBye.**


	2. Bad Company

**Bad Company**

The sun hung low in the darkening sky, a great ballooned sphere of magnificent orange. Bright rays of orange and pink sliced through the inky indigo that was seeping slowly over the horizon. Flecks of white began to emerge in the darkness, where light could no longer reach.

Kagome winced at the aches and pains of her body, biting her tongue against the many moans and groans that her brain was trying to send to her mouth. Her nerves were frayed; they had been walking forever, she and her new demon companion. But, as a demon, Lord Sesshomaru didn't seem inclined to stop to rest anytime soon. Their trip thus far had been silent, for the most part; Kagome couldn't for the life of her think of any way to break the hush that was like a blanket over the two of them. Sesshomaru didn't seem to mind, though. _He had never been much of a talker, _Kagome reminded herself. _The only times I ever heard him speak were to berate Inuyasha or to insult Naraku or myself. _Besides, how did one engage speech with the most powerful youkai on the planet? That thought alone had her head reeling, and so, silence ensued.

The next twenty minutes of their traveling seemed to grow progressively harder and harder with every step. Kagome had always heard of people complaining that their legs felt limp after prolonged workouts, like noodles, however, this was not the case for the priestess. She found her calves and thighs were horribly tense and stiff, her wounded abdomen burned and was growing very tender. Every step she took sent jarring vibrations up into her abs from her stiff and sore legs, agitating the wound. Surely enough, soon Kagome began to feel the tell-tale signs of sticky warmth leaching through her bandages.

Pausing midstride, with tired, trembling hands, Kagome hesitantly lifted the hem of her haori to inspect the gauze beneath. She swallowed hard at the sight of the bright red that had spread from just above the slope of her pelvis to her lowest rib bone, pressing gently with her fingertips. Staring at the ruby-smudged pad of her fingertips, she called out to Sesshomaru in a quiet, hoarse voice. "Sesshomaru…"

A small gasp escaped her slightly chapped lips as the demon lord suddenly appeared before her, staring at her abdomen with an unidentifiable emotion in the depths of his crystalline topaz eyes. Kagome watched nervously as he gently probed around the edges of the wound with his fingertips. She held her breath, careful not to make any sudden movements; the tips of his very sharp claws were already gently poking through the fabric. A wrong move and they could very easily pierce her soft stomach. Watching Sesshomaru poke and prod at her bleeding wound elicited strange sensations in Kagome. One would almost think that he was attempting to be… Caring. _Of course not! _She chided herself mentally. _He just doesn't want you bleeding all over the place and attracting predators…_

"Sesshomaru," Kagome continued, relieved to hear that her voice sounded much stronger than she felt. "I really need to stop and rest." Amber eyes flicked up to meet hers, hitching her breath in her throat. This man is so deadly. Every time she looked at him, she was reminded of the countless times that he had tried to murder either her or Inuyasha. And now that he had his arm back, he was even more insuperable. At the same time, he had an alluring sense of ambiguity and authority that simply could not be ignored. _Shut up, Kagome! This is _Sesshomaru _we're talking about here for crying out loud!_

Sesshomaru noted how pale the priestess' slender face was, a stark contrast to the sun kissed glow she usually boasted. Her full lips were chapped and beginning to turn white as well. Her large, typically expressive eyes looked tired and aged. It seemed to him that there simply were no other options – he would have to let the woman stop to rest. With an inaudible sigh, he glanced about quickly, before replying. "Very well, miko. We will stop here for the night. However, this Sesshomaru will continue at first light, with or without you."

That seemed to bring back a little of her usual jubilant self. She harrumphed angrily, her face flushing just so, before her rationale got the better of her and she turned, her hair whipping, and stomped just off their path, throwing out the blanket and settling down with jerky, agitated movements. Yanking a second blanket over her slender form, she plopped down heavily and lay unmoving. For about five seconds. She then reached just above her head, her hand roaming the empty space. With another huff, she clamped her arm back down to her side once more, fuming in silence.

Sesshomaru watched in silent amusement at the woman's antics, sitting himself a mere two or three feet away, relaxing into his usual position. The young miko proved herself over and over again to be different, and certainly feisty. These traits were so unusual in women – in sentient beings alike – that he found it to be, in an odd sort of way, refreshing. Narcissistic as it may be, Sesshomaru had to admit to himself that he enjoyed provoking the poor girl, just to see what her reaction would be. So far, she had surprised him nearly every time. Even now, she continued to grumble unintelligibly to herself, writhing under the blanket.

The scent of her blood was a sweet aroma once more in the cool night air, but Sesshomaru knew that it wasn't too serious. He would simply wait until the woman fell asleep to check the wound and change the bandages. As entertaining as her antics were, that was a particular confrontation that he was wise enough to avoid. Moreover, he had already changed her bandages twice up to this point; bringing this to the miko's attention could very well be detrimental to his health. Human women were so overly self conscious about their bodies. Knowing the strange woman, even as little as he did, he knew what would be running rampant in her mind. _This Sesshomaru has no desire to look upon the flesh of a _human _woman._

With an agitated huff, a clawed hand wrapped around the thick white pelt perched on the taiyoukai's shoulder. A simple flick of a maroon-marked wrist had the pelt zooming through the air towards an unsuspecting Kagome, before its weight slapped onto her limp body. With a start and a throaty gasp, Kagome jumped, ebon locks unkempt and eyes wide as she rolled over to look at a suspiciously innocent looking Sesshomaru. As her chocolate eyes narrowed and her lips parted to protest, she suddenly remembered that she had been hit with something. Glancing down at her waist, her mouth opened in awe and her eyes were the size of saucers. _Sesshomaru's pelt._ A timid hand reached out, drawing the length of silken fur to her chest, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you, Sesshomaru." She whispered, glancing up at the demon lord. Her cheeks flushed as he quirked a brow. _Oh. Right. Of course he heard that. _

"This is very… generous of you, Sessho–"

"Be silent, woman." Sesshomaru interjected with a growl, glaring with smoldering honey eyes.

Kagome rolled her eyes before placing the fur beneath her head, entwining her fingers in the long strands, before letting her three hundred pound eyelids slip shut.

"Miko."

_Snore._

"_Miko_." This time, there was a slight edge to the call.

_Snore._

With a growl that he didn't bother to hide, Sesshomaru delivered a hard jab to Kagome's thigh with his toe.

"WHAT!" she snarled, bolting upright, ebon locks disheveled and dark circles beneath her eyes. She immediately winced at the sharp pain that raced over her torso, and then raised the hem of her haori to check. There were only a handful of darker red spots this time, rather than a large splotch of bright crimson.

"This Sesshomaru is leaving. We are close." He retorted icily, noting the deep blush that was spreading across her cheeks. She must've just realized…

_He changed my bandages again. _Kagome realized, taking her eyes from Sesshomaru to glance down at the pristine white gauze across her stomach. _Just ignore it. Act like it's nothing, _she told herself over and over, but it couldn't keep the warmth from flaring on her face. At least he waited until she had fallen asleep, she reasoned. With a huge yawn, Kagome stretched her arms high above her head, sighing happily at the way her shoulders and elbows popped. Sesshomaru growled, which she took as her cue to get her butt in gear and folded up the two blankets, grumbling heatedly to herself.

However, as Sesshomaru placed his pelt over his shoulder once more, his acute demonic hearing picked up the ramblings of the woman's one sided conversation. "Stupid grumpy demon… Not a morning person… Could be gentler… Cereal…"

It took the ice king a great deal of effort not to roll his eyes as he turned his back swiftly on this miko and made his way westward once more. They were nearing the borders of the West, and once they reached that checkpoint, it would be only two more days' travel before they reached the House of the Moon.

* * *

**Author's Note: Here's chapter two. I know this one is short compared to the last chapter, and there are reasons, one being that it would have made the previous and/or the next too long for my liking if I had stuffed it in there somewhere, and two being that this story doesn't seem to be catching on and/or getting much traffic, so I'm not sure I want to continue with the story. I don't mean to sound so hateful towards my readers, so I apologize if that's how this comes off, it's just as I said; I simply don't have enough time to waste on a story that no one is reading, no matter how much I enjoy writing it. It will just collect virtual dust in my computer files. :( Ho hum. Please review! I may (or may not) post chapter three soon! BuhBye**


	3. The River

**The River**

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* * *

**

"Are we there yet?"

The seemingly innocent question had the fine hairs on the back of Sesshomaru's neck standing on end. It _would_ have been an innocent question, had the wench not already asked it so many times within the last hour that he had lost count. "Miko," Sesshomaru warned, a steely edge to his baritone voice. "You will cease your needless babble at once."

"Needless babble!" she screeched, her voice reaching a new decibel. Were he a lesser demon, Sesshomaru was sure that his ears would be bleeding. "You insensitive, egotistical, stu–"

Kagome's words halted in her throat as a very tall, very aggravated looking Sesshomaru appeared before her as though he had teleported there, glaring down at her and giving her a new respect for the phrase "if looks could kill". She'd surely be a big miko swiss cheese block by now.

"Do you entertain the idea of finishing that statement, woman?" The demon lord growled darkly, enjoying the fear that spiced her scent at that moment.

Gulping silently, Kagome's widened chocolate eyes couldn't leave the golden ones burning into hers, unable to speak.

"You will address this Sesshomaru with a proper title and respect hence forth, miko." He added, narrowing his eyes a fraction for emphasis.

Heat exploded in her cheeks as her temper flared. Giving an impressively animalistic growl, Kagome poked her finger into his chest. "Get this straight, _Lord Sesshomaru,_" she spat, "I only show respect for those who equally respect me." She idly noted the way that his eyes flitted down to her finger before sliding back up to her face. "You have yet to tell me where on Earth you're taking me to; therefore I have every right to question where we're going and when we'll be arriving, so you can just swallow that 'I'm taller so I'm better than you' attitude of yours! And I have a name; Kagome. Ka. Go. Me! _Not_ miko!"

Sesshomaru glanced down at the offending digit which so rudely prodded his sternum, slightly taken aback by the brashness of this unusual woman. He had to question her sanity; she dare scream at him in such a manner, as well as placing her hands upon his person? At the same time, he had to admire her bravery. No one dared stand up to him the way she was. _Either brave or terribly stupid, _he corrected himself mentally, snorting at her as she finished her rant, panting lightly and trembling in her anger. Suppressing a growl, Sesshomaru grasped the miko's wrist gently and removed her finger from his torso, enjoying the way her expressive eyes widened to impossible proportions. "Come," he ordered lightly, "There is a river nearby. Your wound must be tended to."

That much was true. Since early this morning, Sesshomaru had picked up slight traces of an acrid odor emanating from the lesion on Kagome's abdomen, the telltale signature of an infection manifesting.

Mouth agape and eyes the size of saucers, Kagome stared at Sesshomaru in utter shock. How was she alive? Drawing in a deep breath, just to make sure that she wasn't in fact a poltergeist, Kagome's mind scrambled. She had just stood up to the most powerful being on the planet, even yelled at him and _poked him in the chest_, and yet, she was alive? How was this even possible!

Still, Kagome nodded her head in understanding after her initial astonishment dissipated. All morning she had been itching around the edges of where the wound should be – she had yet to see it for herself. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to. But he was right; washing it out should be good for it.

Kagome followed Sesshomaru closely, stepping over twisted roots and thick foliage. _It was a good thing that it's a warm day today_, Kagome noted, otherwise a bath in the river would be horribly unpleasant, no matter how necessary. The daily temperatures had begun to drop. Autumn was soon to be in full swing. The leaves of the tress surrounding them now were just beginning to be tinged with reds, oranges, yellows and browns. Within a manner of moments, the gurgles of a gushing river floated into Kagome's ears, raising chills on her skin. Already she could feel the icy cold water rushing over her skin.

Sesshomaru stepped aside to let the miko through, surveying the banks and surrounding forestry carefully. Deeming the area safe, his eyes fell on the miko, who was staring uncertainly at the wide river. "Is there a problem?" he questioned, quirking a brow.

"N-no," the miko replied, a little too hastily, as she turned her mahogany eyes to him. "No problem at all." She then turned almost reluctantly to the river, placed the bundle of blankets in her arms on the ground, and approached the damp banks. Stepping out of her sandals, she dipped her toes into the slightly murky water before snatching them out as though she had been burned.

With a slight smirk, Sesshomaru called out to her. "Too cold for you, miko?"

The flare of her aura signaled the spike in her temper. Were he closer, he knew that her holy energy would have crackled against his youki. A huff reached his ears, before he returned his attention to the ruffled woman, who was facing him with a dark expression on her pretty face, her hands on her hips. As he quirked a brow, she rolled her eyes skyward.

"You can't really expect me to bathe whilst in your presence, Sesshomaru," she spat, seething.

"Hn." Sesshomaru had a very strong urge to roll his eyes. "You cannot be left unattended. The scent of your blood will draw demons to the vicinity without this Sesshomaru's _presence_ here," he informed her, glancing down at her stomach. "Moreover, your bandages will need to be replaced."

Kagome's cheeks flared bright red. _Did he just… Look me over? No, Kagome, you're being too paranoid._ Besides, he did have a point. She had come close to being ogre fodder, no need to push her luck with a siren call like the smell of fresh human blood. Still… She very well couldn't disrobe and bathe in front of _Sesshomaru!_

"Then turn around or go hide or something. I have to undress."

_Was that a smirk on those lips?_ Kagome asked herself, shaking her head to rid herself of the preposterous thought as she watched the great demon stride away before she slipped out of her priestess garb and stepped into the river, shivering as her skin accustomed itself with the cold temperature of the water. When the water was slipping around her mid thigh, Kagome reached down and gently began to unpeel layer after layer of gauze from her torso, wincing slightly at the gentle tugging of the fabric. Finally, down to the last layer, she closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath before shedding the last few wraps. Hesitantly, her eyes fell to her abdomen, and her breath left her lungs in a _whoosh _as though she had been punched in the gut. Her knees buckled as though they could no longer hold the burden of her body up and she wavered almost drunkenly. "Oh my God," she whimpered, feeling the sting of tears. Marring the slightly tanned flesh of her abdomen was a huge gash, extending from just several inches below her left breast to the dip of her pelvis. The wound was lined with puckered, angry red flesh. It looked almost slimy, with whitish clear discharge that she knew was just the beginning of scabbing, but there was also a hint of a greenish fluid that was seeping through. The smell wafting up to her now was pungent and offensive to the olfactory – Kagome had to fight hard for a few moments to not lose the berries she had plucked for her breakfast.

If she didn't know better, she would swear on her own grave that the Gods were punishing her for some unknown reasons. First, the Bone Eater's well had closed itself off forever, no longer holding even a remnant of the magic that once had the well thriving with power that would set her senses alight. Never again could she be reunited with her family, her friends on the other side that had once been so near and dear to her. Then, she had lost Inuyasha. Even after the years of emotional turmoil, the way to his heart had seemingly been paved for her with the death of her greatest obstacle; Kikyo. And yet, she had still lost him to her. The memory of his face, the last night she saw him, twisted in a deep anguish she had never seen from the hanyou, had her heart clenching painfully in her chest and hot tears swelling at the corners of her eyes. Third, she had been attacked by a beast that left her, quite literally, scarred for the rest of her life. Not just scarred, but also apparently writhing with an infection.

_Naraku is dead. _

Kagome slowly reopened her eyes, blurry and smarting with salty tears, and walked slowly into the deeper waters.

_Kikyo is dead._

The bite of the icy waters no longer registered with Kagome's skin, rushing just above her navel. She sighed forlornly as she dragged her fingertips just along the surface.

_Inuyasha has left me._

_Snap. _The subtle sounds of someone approaching seemed horribly amplified in the open space, but Kagome couldn't bring herself to care at that particular moment. The water was halfway up her torso now…

_What is there left for me here?_

"Miko."

A small gasp slipped from her throat as she recognized the bass baritone, frozen midstride. Slowly, Kagome turned her head to the side, just to look over her shoulder, careful not to turn her upper body to Sesshomaru. She was just grateful that the water was above her buttocks at the moment. Quickly, she threw her arms around herself in a tight embrace, just in case.

Sesshomaru's eyes scanned their surroundings from side to side almost lazily, careful not to allow himself to linger on the form of the miko for too long…

"Hurry yourself along, onna. I have neither the time nor the patience for your melodramatics." Then, with a silent sniff of the air, he added in an icy tone, "Moreover, wolf youkai are approaching, undoubtedly drawn by the scent of your blood. You have ten minutes, starting now." A swift turn on his toes and he sauntered back into the forest, perching himself upon the smooth moss-covered surface of a nearby bolder. Sesshomaru listened intently to the surrounding sounds of the forest, focusing to the point that every single subtle reverberation was booming in his ears. Sesshomaru had not lied to the woman; wolves were approaching, still far enough to be no more that wisps of stench on the air, but constricting the circle they made around the two of them. They were indeed hunting, and each step they took itched against Sesshomaru's youki.

Of course, Sesshomaru did not worry about the wolves. They wouldn't draw near enough to be even in Sesshomaru's line of vision, for they could feel his overwhelming aura. Nay, there were ulterior motives for his intent concentration; even now, the sounds of the bathing miko floated into his ears. Sesshomaru had to focus, to keep the image of the miko from his mind. The way that the curve of her slender back rose gracefully from the water; sun-kissed, flawless skin glimmered with silver droplets of water, like jewels; freely flowing locks of ebon, shining blue in the high midmorning sun, the tips billowing in the cool river; the sensual curve of her supple breast…

A disgusted growl vibrated low in Sesshomaru's chest as he shoved the image away. After all, someone such as he could not – would not – lower himself to such a level to be attracted to such a _lowly human_. But Sesshomaru knew that such was a lie – at least the second half of that thought. She was no ordinary, lowly human. She was the Shikon Miko, with extraordinarily strong spiritual powers. Without her aid, Naraku would not have been disposed of. After all, he had to admit, albeit ruefully, that directly after the battle, Sesshomaru had realized that the miko was the only way that Naraku would have ever been disposed of; only holy powers were able to completely finish him off. In addition, without her, the Shikon no Tama would still be in existence. The battles would have begun all over again.

A scowl marring his ironically angelic face, the demon lord Sesshomaru snapped at himself mentally. He blamed his unusual train of thought on his fatigue. It had been a long four weeks that he had gone without rest; his lands were still recovering to the damage done from the tyrannous reign of Naraku, and since he had ascended the throne after the death of his father, Sesshomaru had to oversee the recuperation of his House and it's respective hierarchy. Thankfully, all things had been running well – everything was almost completely back to normal now.

The subtle whines and excited pants of the wolves drew Sesshomaru out of his reverie, and he focused once more on the circling wolves…

* * *

It had been precisely eight minutes and forty-two seconds. She had counted.

Kagome had thoroughly cleansed her wound with careful fingers, sure not to touch the gash directly. Now, standing on the moist banks of the river, she smiled to herself. Already, it was looking not quite so horrid. Bits of bracken and dirt had been flushed out and the greenish discharge was gone. It didn't even smell. The sun had dried her wet skin, and now a cool breeze brushed against her, raising the fine hairs on her arms. Hurriedly she slipped on her bra and panties and then followed with her pants and hoari. As she was straightening the lapels, Sesshomaru seemingly materialized next to her. Kagome let out a small shriek of surprise and clutched her chest, sighing in exasperation as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes a fraction at her.

"You could warn me, you know!" she cried in a chastising tone, stomping a foot. "You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Hn."

"And you're making me lose my mind with that 'hn' business. Use your words." She teased, waggling her finger at him. He wasn't a caveman, after all. Surely a _lord_ would have a more vast vocabulary beyond 'hn' and insults.

"You have done an impeccable job of losing your mind on your own, without assistance from this Sesshomaru." He countered, studying her face carefully for any sign of impending tantrums.

Kagome stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, before she caught a strange, almost playful glimmer in those depths of molten gold. "You're joking me!" she laughed, smiling in wonder. "You're actually joking with me."

A minute tilt of his head, Sesshomaru replied quizzically, "You did jest this Sesshomaru first, did you not?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "But I never would have thought that… You know what? Nevermind." She shook her head slightly with a gentle smile. Better to quit while she was ahead. "Where are we going now?"

"We continue West. We will reach the border by nightfall. Then we shall stop until morning, and our destination is but another half days' more travel." He supplied, motioning for her to follow with a subtle nod of his head.

Kagome nodded and hurriedly followed along, keeping close to Sesshomaru's side.

* * *

The dense forest was growing darker and the temperature was dropping quickly. They had once more hunkered down for the evening, and tonight Kagome had a small but enthusiastic fire going. Orange sparks drifted towards an indigo sky, embers crackled softly. Kagome had her knees pulled to her chest and her arms folded, her chin resting upon them as she stared absentmindedly into the dancing orange and yellow flames. For once, in a very long time, she had no thoughts zipping and warring in her head. She was just blank, watching the flames.

Sesshomaru, too, watched the fire licking at the night sky, but unlike his unusually quiet priestess companion, the demon lord was fraught with contemplation. He could not but wonder, what was to happen next? Would his lands and House ever fully recover from the devastation that Naraku and his bastardly following wrought? What in Kami's name was he doing, sitting here with his brother's wench as though she were a comrade, a _friend_? Troublesome thoughts had surfaced in his mind earlier today, and Sesshomaru had no idea what to make of them. Never before had he viewed a human in such a way, nor had he ever in all his three hundred years desired to. Least of all the miko that traveled with that half-bred wretch that he was damned to call his brother. _Half brother, _he corrected himself angrily, sighing silently to relieve a bit of his inner tension. _This Sesshomaru will simply not think of such things._

It should be that easy. Right? It should be that way, because he was Sesshomaru, and there was no obstacle he couldn't overcome. _Right?_

A gentle voice wrenched him from his mulling.

"Why did you leave Rin with Kaede, Sesshomaru?"

Flicking his gaze slightly upward, he met the large, curious mahogany eyes of the young woman. He didn't bother looking away as he spoke. He had nothing to hide. "Rin must learn to live as a human," he explained, the slightly off tone of his voice unidentifiable. "This Sesshomaru has returned to the West. She has only known the life of a nomad, and would only know that of a demon, of which she is neither. The old miko will teach Rin what she must know to survive in her own world, for I can no longer edify her."

"Is that why you were coming from Edo when I was attacked?"

"Hai."

Kagome listened intently, and remained quiet after he had finished speaking, which surprised the demon lord. He expected her to fire off more questions at him. However, Kagome was pondering over some things in her own head. It was true, that directly after the battle with Naraku, Sesshomaru had left the ten year old in Kaede's care. Rin, now thirteen on the verge of becoming fourteen, had blossomed and thrived in the village, learning her vital skills of gardening, herb identification, and social skills under the careful watch of the aged priestess. Still, Sesshomaru visited Rin frequently, often bringing gifts to the young girl; colorful kimonos of exquisite fabrics and other various offerings. Kagome supposed that after such a trial, Sesshomaru still felt care towards the young girl.

That thought had Kagome smiling.

_Is Sesshomaru lonely?_

The smile instantly vanished.

_Is that why he let me tag along? Could the great Sesshomaru be lonely after the loss of his ward? Speaking of which, _Kagome glanced around for a moment, surprised she hadn't noticed until now. _I don't see Jakken or that dragon thing either._

Glancing up at the statuesque man that sat across from her, she felt a pull in her chest, like someone tugged at her heartstrings. They had all lost so much. After defeating Naraku, it seemed that only a handful of them had truly gained anything from his demise. Sango and Miroku had finally married, and Shippo had rejoined the foxes in the mountains to continue his fox training. Rin had been given a fresh start in a human village, a normal life. Kohaku, Sango's junior brother, had been spared, but he hadn't stayed with his beloved sister. He had taken Kirara and had set out to further his skills in demon slaying. Inuyasha had lost Kikyo. And for a while, he had lost Kagome too. But, even after her return, he had still been so devastated by the loss of his first love that he had fled, from Kagome, from the village, from his emotions… From himself. Finally, Kagome had lost her family to the void of time, her friends, her _life._ And then, she had lost Inuyasha. But now Kagome could see; Sesshomaru, apparently, was no exception.

She understood now. It was all so very clear, laid out before her like pieces to a puzzle. And she had finally fit one more piece in, a vital piece that helped her to understand the rest of the mystery. The stoic youkai did had feelings under that façade, albeit subtle ones. How stupid they had all been, to think that he was nothing but a cold-hearted brute. She ached for him, soft, sorrowful sounds escaping her slightly parted lips as she looked upon the mane of silver and eyes of amber, skin of porcelain and of course, layer upon layer upon frosty layer of hardened ice. How empty his life must be, to have nothing but responsibilities and burdens and no true companionship to speak of.

_Well,_ she decided, set with determination. _I will make this as little troublesome for him as possible. Maybe I can even find him a true, permanent companion? A demon, _female _companion perhaps?_

With a smile on her lips, she looked up to the sky. Yes, she would be there to help.

* * *

**Author's Note: So here's chapter three for those of you that actually read this story. I don't update on this site as much as I do on Dokuga, to be frank, but as tht site is down or something today I decided to go ahead and update here. Leave me a review pretty please if you wanna see chapter four. BuhBye**


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